Mark Sullivan has served as superintendent of Birmingham City Schools (Ala.) since 2020. (Photo from Birmingham City Schools website)
At a press conference announcing the plan, Superintendent Mark Sullivan noted the importance of gathering candid community feedback. "That process was brutal. People were honest, and that's what we wanted."
Sullivan was appointed superintendent in 2020 and has served in the district for more than 25 years as a teacher, principal and administrator.
- Academic Achievement
- Staff Effectiveness
- Student Wellbeing
- Customer Service
- Accountability and Cohesion
Enrollment declines and improving "Customer Service"
The plan notes that BCS enrollment is declining even faster than the city's population, having recently decreased by 11%, or 3,000 students. "This moment is very pivotal for us as a school district. There is school choice out there, more and more parents are homeschooling their children," Sullivan said at the event. "There are families who are making decisions with their feet, they can go to some of the surrounding school districts, but our goal is to make sure Birmingham City Schools is the first choice in education. So, we have to get this right."
Sullivan noted his surprise at one of the drivers identified by the community. "One of the things that we found was very shocking: Many of our parents did not leave Birmingham City Schools because they were not satisfied with the academic performance of our schools, but many parents left because of a bad interaction they had with a staff member. So, customer service is one of those areas we have been hyper focused on."
The BCS school board gave Sullivan high praise in its 2024 evaluation for the academic progress being made during his tenure.
